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MUSIC REVIEW: The Wallflowers-"Glad All Over"

Hello, dear readers! I On
the Arts is back again! Did you miss me?
Possibly. Do I aim to entertain
with my reviews of various artistic things? Of course. Let us commence!

October 9, 2012 was the release date of the Wallflowers’
highly anticipated latest effort, Glad
All Over, which comes after a 7-year hiatus. The Wallflowers (my second-favorite band,
after Nightwish) were founded by and are led by Jakob Dylan, son of Bob
Dylan. They have been making and
recording music since 1989 and play a melodic brand of alternative rock that
takes cues not from Bob, but rather from Tom Petty. The band achieved great success following
their acclaimed 1996 album Bringing Down
the Horse and their anthemic single “One Headlight”, a song many people
recognize as familiar without realizing they know it. Bringing
Down the Horse was followed by the equally brilliant if much less popular
effort (Breach) and the band
gradually lost the spotlight with their subsequent releases. In 2005 the band decided to take a break as
Jakob focused on his solo career, which was enjoyable if less satisfying than
his work with his band.

(thewallflowers.com)

I began listening to the band in 2009-2010 and soon fell in
love with their catchy rock melodies and with their Dylan-penned lyrics, many
of which create wistful, thoughtful moods and are keen meditations on love and
romance. I count Bringing Down the Horse and (Breach)
among my favorite albums of all time.
For me, the Wallflowers’ music evokes memories and emotions.

Fortunately, for those fans waited with bated breath, this
Wallflowers album is a strong addition to their discography. It far surpasses their 2002 and 2005 efforts
with its familiar yet varied sound; it weaves together variations of the typical
Wallflowers style in a satisfying way. Glad All Over combines some of the best
elements of their previous albums into one fresh, enjoyable ride, anchored as
usual by Jakob Dylan’s pleasantly hoarse and textured vocals.

THE GOOD:

The album is chock-full of catchy tunes that almost beckon
the listener to sing along. Many tunes
are wonderfully memorable and are right up there with best of the
Wallflowers. “Hospital For Sinners”, the
opening track, is fast-paced and engaging.
“Misfits and Lovers”, one of the first tracks, will take up residence in
your head and refuse to exit. “Misfits and Lovers” is truly the highlight of
the album, a classic Wallflowers tune, with a memorable chorus. “First One in the Car”, another early track,
harkens back to “One Headlight”, with its low-key intensity and faint
organ. “Love is a Country” is a wistful
quasi-ballad about the nature of love, borrowing folksy influences from Jakob’s
solo work, conjuring up images of windswept lovers crossing a desert. “It’s a Dream” is a haunting, almost jaunty
tune played out over thundering keys, creating an unsettling atmosphere. “Have Mercy on Him Now” is a straight rock
song à la Bruce Springsteen, a format at which the Wallflowers have always
excelled, and is similar to “Laughing Out Loud” from Bringing Down the Horse, a welcome fountain of influence. “The Devil’s Waltz” is a departure for the
band, as it dips into more country influences with its more minimalist sound
and cheeky atmosphere. “It Won’t Be
Long” is more classic Wallflowers, sounding very similar to “Angel on My Bike”
from Horse. “Constellation Blues” is another quasi-ballad
with a pleasing meditative, almost nostalgic feeling. The closing track, “One Set of Wings” also
replicates the ballad sound, with a warmth and gentleness amid the rock aspects
that cradles the listener in the chorus with Dylan’s fatherly, comforting
voice.

THE MEDIOCRE:

Perhaps the least satisfying track on the album is the track with which
the band announced their official return, “Reboot the Mission”, which features
Clash member Mick Jones. It is not that
the song is inherently bad or unpleasant, but with its unfamiliar punk-ish
influences, it absolutely pales in comparison to and even feels a little out of
place among the rest of the songs.
Another weak point plaguing the album is the relative shallowness of the
songs. Unlike songs from their earlier
masterpieces, this set of tracks lacks the same type of eternal replay value
and lyrical depth. The themes on this
album seem to be a restatement of typical Wallflowers material, with nothing
truly striking. The lyrics pale in
comparison to the melodies the band has crafted for this effort. There are also several songs that sound
similar enough to blend together, and as with earlier Wallflowers efforts, the
album’s weaker tracks are at the end and are softer songs that lack the vigor
and impact of the songs at the beginning of the album. “Have Mercy on Him Now”, while a good song,
seems like filler.
This album is a good illustration of the larger question that many veteran musicians often have to face when creating new material: how to balance the need to expand musically while still remaining true to their roots. Unfortunately, here, the Wallflowers dip their toes into foreign territories on only one song, and play the rest rather safe and thus, that song does not follow the flow of the rest of the album.

Overall, this album is a strong return for the much-missed
Wallflowers, and a good addition to their discography. For their next effort, I hope the Wallflowers commit to a true "Reboot", if you will: an album a little out of their comfort zone, something with true
brilliance and freshness about it.

Comments

I have to buy this now and compare my thoughts to yours! I usually like the way the Wallflowers' words and music complement each other to create a complete message so I am curious to see about your comments that the music outdoes the lyric on this release. Thanks for your insight!